Crossroads: Arrival
by The Doorstopper
Summary: In a race against time, three adversaries must try and put aside a millennia of war and blood, to work together to find a way home. But they may need a little help... Supreme Commander Tomb Raider crossover. ON HOLD UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
1. Prologue

_Disclaimer: Supreme Commander is the property of Games Powered Games. Tomb Raider is the property of Core Design and/or Crystal Dynamics. Any similarities to actual people or events are purely coincidental.__ **

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**Crossroads: Prologue**

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Earth

Year – 1948 AD

11:07p.m. – 100 miles west of New Delhi

"Mechanical Monster my ass." Mr. Honinburg said, scowling at the four workers who had hastily exited the recently opened temple.

"It's true! A beast lives down there! One so monstrous the ground shook with every step!" One of the workers cried.

"This machine was not forged by man!" Another worker stated as he attempted to catch his breath.

"Wait one second here," Mr. Honinburg tried to clarify. "First you say it's some type of monster then you say it's some kind of machine."

"Yes." The first worker said. "It was mechanical but moved like no machine. I think…" the worker paused. "I think… it saw me." Mr. Honinburg raised both eyebrows.

"…It 'saw' you?" He was skeptical. Mr. Honinburg leaned closer to one of his guards. "It's probably some type of ancient statue. You know how superstitious these people are." The guard nodded his head slightly. Mr. Honinburg turned back at the workers. "Listen, Its been a long day and you've been working hard, maybe you should get some rest." The four workers all nodded and started to make for their tents, until Honinburg noticed something out of place. "Wait! Where's Abbey?" The four workers looked at each other then back at Honinburg. No explanation was required. Mr. Honinburg quickly reacted. "You! Call the Hospital at Rajgarh!"

"It'll be a few hours before they can get here." The guard said just before dashing off to the phone.

"We don't have a few hours! Abbey could be dying down there, we can't just wait for the medics!" Honinburg stared down into the open doorway of the ancient temple. "You there!" He pointed at six of the other workers that had been working on another site a few meters north. "Come with me... Don't think I've forgotten about you, you're coming too." Honinburg said as he drew his Luger from it's hiding place. The guard next to him loaded his M-1 Grand and took a step forward.

"This is what you pay us for." The mercenary waved two of his fellow men down, the two came jogging over also loading their own weapons. One of the mercenaries began to hand pistols to the six workers accompanying them. "Lets go." The mercenary stated.

They began to make their way down the staircase. Honinburg lit a match to illuminate the surrounding area. The lead mercenary held a torch over the small flame. The lighting increased. Honinburg grasped another torch on his right, lit it, and continued. The narrow passage led to a massive room. A few torches were perched on the walls, some had fallen on the ground still lit.

"This looks like the place." The mercenary said plainly as the group began to fan out.

"How would you know. No one's been in here for hundreds of years." Honinburg said with his head up, scanning the room.

"True, except for the team you sent in here." One of the mercenaries commented. Honinburg cupped his mouth.

"Abbey!" His voice echoed through the seemingly empty chamber.

"Well I see no evidence of any monster, alive or otherwise." The lead mercenary said.

"Abbey!" Honinburg continued to call.

"Would you stop that!" The lead mercenary urged. Honinburg glared at the man.

"Excuse me for trying to find my daughter!"

"These stone walls are extremely unstable! They could go at any moment! I would love to find your daughter quickly too! But when the ceiling collapses in on us, that's gonna make finding and retrieving your daughter quite impossible now!" Honinburg continued to glare at the mercenary, who started to move forward again. "And if you die I don't get paid." He muttered to himself.

"What was that?" Questioned Honinburg. Before the mercenary could respond, an ear-pricing scream rang out. Everyone jerked their heads toward the screech. Squinting to see a light at the end of the ancient chamber. A shot, unlike any heard before, rippled through the crumbling structure. It was like something out of a science fiction picture. A large mass of stone and fire engulfed the doorway.

"ABBEY!" Honinburg burst forward with unrelenting speed that would give Hermes a run for his money.

"Honinburg!" Shouted the lead mercenary, sprinting after the desperate father. Abigail Honinburg was bolting for her father.

"DAD! RUN! GET OUT!" But Honinburg continued to charge forward to the only thing that mattered to him. Abigail collapsed into her father's arms. "…Run…" She fell unconscious. Little did Honinburg and his companions know that Abigail Honinburg was being pursued by the worst kind of foe, a nameless one. The reunion was short lived as a collection of wiring gears of gigantic proportions loomed toward them. The doorway that Abigail had exited, burst into a thousand pieces. Through the enlarged opening, a massive black figure emerged. It's blood red eyes, pierced the darkness.

"My… God… FIRE!" The lead mercenary ordered. But only the two other men opened up on the menacing machine. At the sight of the beast, the other six workers had fled to the surface leaving their weapons behind. The bullets did nothing to the seemingly impenetrable armor of the giant.

"You! Get my daughter out of here!" Honinburg passed the unconscious body of his daughter to one of the mercenaries. Mr. Honinburg aimed his Luger at one of the four blood red 'eyes' of the beast and fired. The shots uselessly bounced off the demonic aggressor's armor. The three mercenaries, who only stopped firing to reload, were standing near the exit to the stairs. Waiting for their employer to make his way back. But Honinburg continued to attack the colossal machine. Fear was not present in his eyes, but vengeance.

"Professor!" The lead mercenary shouted, half-expecting Honinburg to remain firing at the machine, Honinburg snapped out of his trance and dropped his Luger as the colossal figure took a step forward, the stone ground crumbling and groaning beneath. The step brought the demon into the light that was shining through a hole in the ceiling that, until recently, had been closed. The blazing blood red eyes flared, the spikes protruding from both sides of its head and shoulders were illuminated by the red glow, as if blood was dripping from the jagged edges. Abbey began to regain consciousness. "Honinburg! MOVE! NOW!" The lead mercenary urged the archaeologist. As Honinburg attempted to flee, he inexplicably tripped over one of the lit torches, landing face first on the stone floor. The machine started to raise it's other leg.

"Daddy!" Abbey screamed, unable to run to her father's aide. For the mercenary that had carried her this far still held a firm grip on her. She struggled to get free. Honinburg rolled over, only to see the under foot of the demon. Landing with a definitive crash. Professor Sven Honinburg was no more. "DADDY!"

"Up! Up the stairs! GO!" The lead mercenary ordered. The machine raised its head toward the mercenary. The lead mercenary paused for a moment before tossing a lit stick of dynamite at the creature. Flesh or metal, barely anything survives the blast, and if the blast doesn't kill it the cave-in would. The other two mercenaries were already half way up the stairs. The demon prepared to fire again, a dark purplish glow began to form at the tip of the demon's right arm. Black balls of energy began to swirl around the growth. Spinning faster, faster, faster, then collected and sprang forward.

"MOVE!" Barked the mercenary. The dynamite detonated below the machine. Causing it to stumble slightly, forcing its right arm up. The energy erupted from the muzzle racing toward the ceiling instead of its intended target. Massive boulders of rock and stone fell upon the demonic machine like an avalanche. The shock sent the three mercenaries sprawling down the stairs. The lead mercenary was able to catch himself, halting the others fall. "GET UP! MOVE! MOVE!" The group quickly came to their feet including Abbey. The cave-in continued not twenty feet away. The walls of the stairwell began to crumble under the strain. Chunks of stone fell out of the once solid walls and rolled down, bashing the climbers' legs. They pressed on. "Almost there!" The lead mercenary shouted. The light from the exit started to flicker, it was then that the mercenary noticed the exceptionally large stone slab slowly starting to lower itself. "Alright! MOVE IT!" Seeing the light shrink before them, the group redoubled their efforts to make it out alive. The Lead mercenary bolted ahead, past the falling debris, to try and hold the door open for just a bit longer. One mercenary slipped on a stone and fell on the stair splitting his head open, blood started to seep out of the fresh wound. The other mercenary looked back at his injured comrade then back at Abbey who was waiting for him at the top of the stair just inches away from the outside.

"Go!" The mercenary headed back down to assist the injured man. Abbey moved out of the temple steps into safety, the lead mercenary still attempting to hold the stone slab up, although his strength was quickly wavering.

"Come on!" Abbey cried. Just as the mercenary started back up the stair, his friend over his shoulder, he saw the failing strength of his leader. The lead mercenary gazed at the doomed pair, the other mercenary gazing back. He understood. Without further delay the lead mercenary jumped out from under the slab of stone into the open. The door closed with a thud of stone against soil. In less than ten hours of it's reopening, the ancient structure had lost the name temple, and gained the title… tomb.


	2. Chapter 1: Unexpected

_Disclaimer: Supreme Commander is the property of Gas Powered Games. Tomb Raider is the property of Core Design and/or Crystal Dynamics. Any similarities to actual people or events are purely coincidental. **

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**_Crossroads: Arrival_**

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**Chapter 1**

**_Unexpected_**

Seraphim II

Year - 3844 AD

2:47a.m. Earth-Standard Time

"All stations stand by…" cracked a voice over the Comm. Crusader Armen, a firm believer in the Way, with an exceptional war record, was preparing to join the Aeon assault on Rigel. The Comm cracked to life again, "Quantum Gateway sequence in 60 seconds… Stand by." This would be her tenth jump in three years. Although when she was but a child she found the concept of transporting matter through space by means of Quantum 'Tunneling' a little disconcerting, to say the least. Armen sat in her ACU awaiting the final go-ahead to initialize the startup sequence. The mission was simple; assist Crusader Rhiza and her subordinate against the UEF forces stationed on Rigel. A faint noise could be heard from outside Armen's ACU, like a clicking sound.

"Choir, The is Crusader Armen, in gate room 3… Am I still go for Quantum jump?" There was no answer. Quantum travel made her nervous enough. Her heart started to race. "Choir. Respond." Finally… a response.

"Armen, this is Choir, we are experiencing some technical difficulties. You're still go for Quantum activation." The Comm chirped off once more.

"Ok, here I go…" she muttered to herself. "5 seconds to jump..."

"Armen, this is Choir, abort! The Quantum Tunnel is unstable! Abort! ABORT! But the warning fell on deaf ears, the quantum sequence had already initialized thus blocking all transmissions. And at that very instant the orifice which hovered above Armen, began to descend upon her, ready to turn her, and her ACU into Quantum energy. In a brilliant flash of light, she vanished.

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"WHAT!" The Avatar of War, Marxon raised his voice. 

"I'm just telling you what I saw, I swear it!" The Avatar sat back in his throne, giving his subordinate a cold stare, one that he would always give to the select few who dare fail him. He let out a sigh of annoyance.

"Does the Princess know?"

"Know what, Marxon?" questioned a voice from the shadows of the far entrance to the room. The Avatar didn't move a muscle, while his underling jumped at the very sight of what stood not 2 yards away.

"This matter does not concern you. Evaluator Toth." Marxon continued to stare at his subordinate.

"All matters concerning the Princess _are_ my concern, Marxon! Unless…" She started to pace somewhat, "it's something else that has transpired… Lost one of your thralls again?" The Avatar was rarely able to return most of Toth's gestures, but now she had set herself up for it.

"No… he simply stated, chin high. "One of yours." Toth looked genuinely concerned, for the Princess had very few supporters in the military, they needed everyone they had and everyone she could find.

"And who is this person you speak of?" asked Toth.

"I believe its someone you knew well…" The Avatar paused, savoring every moment of Toth's expressions, "Crusader Armen." The smile already upon his lips grew larger.

"How did she die? One of your fools' errands no doubt!?"

"No." Marxon began, even though he would not think twice about sending one of his subordinates to their deaths if it meant victory. Victory, for him was worth any price. "She just… vanished!" he put his hands up in a magical sort of gesture. An evil bellowing laugh emanated from his gullet. Toth was not amused.

"I don't have time for your games Marxon!" She exclaimed.

"It was a quantum gate accident, very tragic." He rose from his throne, to come face to face with Toth. An expression of barely controllable rage was clearly present across her face. She turned to leave the two to their own devices.

"I shall inform the Princess." Toth had already reached the door.

"As you wish." Toth didn't hear Marxon, or she simply ignored him, he returned his gaze to his underling. "If you ever fail me again…"

"Forgive me, my Avatar, but have I? I mean with Armen out of the way, there is now very little that stands between you and control over the Illuminate." His entire body shook, afraid of what the Avatar might say or do.

"That's what I like about you," he began, "always looking on the bright side of things. The mission might not have gone according to plan but we still received the same outcome. Come, walk with me, we have much to discuss. I have learned that the U.E.F. is building a weapon…" The two walked into the adjacent hallway, the doors closing behind them with a low hiss, very unaware of the dangers to come.

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Armen awoke to the sound of birds calling high above her. She could barely see anything through the thick black visor before her eyes, one that was designed to work in conjunction with the HUD of her ACU. It was useless when exposed to hard sunlight. When she attempted to raise her arm off the ground it felt as if it was 15 pounds heavier, as if being weighed down by something. She felt incredibly weak, but managed to remove her visor. The piercing rays of the sun beat down on her vulnerable eyes, causing her pupils to shrink, redefining the words dilate and pain to a whole new level. She failed to rise to a sitting position. She felt helpless, lying there, like some child waiting for her mother's embrace to ferry her to safety. Her eyes began to adjust to the light, she reopened them, however heavy her eye lids felt. Her body ached, she hadn't felt such pain since her first day after calisthenics at Burke Academy or when she, accidentally inhaled the toxic fumes of the barren waste land on Orionis… She took in a breath of air. It felt different somehow… she was too dazed to understand why. Questions raced through her mind, she couldn't ascertain where she was, and where was her ACU. Her eyes were getting increasingly heavy, but she was able to catch a glimpse of some shadow, descending from the treetops… The shadow encroached ever closer. It loomed over, like some kind of specter searching for it's next victim. The world around Armen began to spin, then blur, and then… darkness… 

Armen shot her eyes open. For a split second she had no idea who or where she was! Then it hit her, like a great wave of thought and emotion had washed over her. She took in the environment around her. She guessed she was in a tent by the way the 'ceiling' and 'walls' moved with the wind. Armen, still dazed from her trip through the tunnel, rose from the bedding she was placed in and attempted to maneuver to peer through the apparent hole in the tent. Even though she had regained her sense of direction and motor control, her sense of perception was still missing. She made contact with the ground in the usual manner: face first. The blades of grass did nothing to cushion her fall. She forced herself up, then walked toward a tear in the tent. She gathered that she must still be in the vicinity of where she had first awoken by the look of the trees and various shrubs, which was pretty amazing, considering the fact that her vision was still blurred somewhat. An indistinct snap of a small twig echoed through the woods, causing Armen to snap her attention in the general direction of the sound. Someone was coming… Years of combat and training kicked in, taking over. She moved over to the table next to the bed that Armen had miraculously missed when she attempted to stand, on the table lay a metallic cylinder, probably some type of pipe or other device. She acquired the object in hand then quickly moved to the blind spot of the entrance, directly beside it. Armen could hear the muttering of the figures but paid no mind to what they were saying, focusing on the moment, the here and now. Just as soon as a hand invaded the room Armen's muscles began to fail her, the metallic object was becoming much heavier than it previously was. Ignoring her faltering strength, she lashed out at the shadowy figure. The pipe swung through the air, crafting a whistling hum. The hum suddenly fell silent. Following a thunderous THWACK! Armen stood before her assailant, in awe, the thwack Armen heard was not the sound of her target falling to the floor unconscious or even the pipe making contact with the figures face. But it was the sound of the pipe impacting on the figure's hand, just inches from his face. Armen's reactions were slow, due to the Quantum travel, but in any other situation there were very few who could match this woman in speed and hand-eye coordination. Taking advantage of this unknown weakness, the figure quickly removed a needle-like object from a pocket, jabbing Armen in the right shoulder with it. Almost instantly the room began to spin and blur, causing Armen to stumble to the floor rolling on her back… She saw the dark, distorted figure, look down at her, apparently a woman by her trim and slender outline. Just before losing consciousness Armen heard what she thought were gun blasts, followed by some men shouting outside. This would have been an ideal time to escape, if only the dark woman had entered just seconds later! Then her world went black.

She awoke again to find a very unexpected sight before her. She expected to see guards, interrogators, and doctors before her, all ready to administer whatever tests and "truth serums" they had in store. But instead she saw… nothing. No doctors, no guards, not much of anyone really. In the place of an interrogation room, Armen feasted her eyes upon the old and obviously ancient ruins of a centuries long abandoned temple. The walls were full of cracks and imperfections, most obscured by the uncontrollable growth of the wild vines and other plant life. Armen was able to rise to a siting position this time. Out of the corner of her eye she saw an incredibly dark figure, one that would give Lucifer himself chills up his spine. There to Armen's right she saw a Cybran Commander in the flesh, for the first time. He simply stood there, as if waiting for something. The expression upon his face was one of hatred and vengeance. She suspected he was trying to determine how many of his brothers and sisters she had so ruthlessly slaughtered. His organic eye and ocular implant made it hard for Armen to speculate on his next move, but it appeared that he was looking her over, Trying to spot any trace of high rank or not. Either way she had to defend herself against any attack. She rose from the hard, cold surface she was perched, and started to backup, slowly. But before she got eight feet, her heel had brushed up against something. A UEF Commander lay there before her. 'Oh great!' she thought, 'just what I needed.' The Cybran suddenly lurched out at her with the cry of a thousand years of hatred. He couldn't have picked a better time to attack. The sheer ferocity of the attack sent both Armen and the Cybran sprawling to the floor, landing with the Cybran atop her. Her reactions had started to improve, just as the Cybran thought he had the upper hand, he found himself flying across the floor. Armen then quickly jumped up, bracing herself for the next attack. The Cybran's enhanced reaction time caused him to roll onto his feet, not four feet from Armen's position. Armen took the offensive, she ran toward the Cybran with a cat-like grace, delivering a decisive kick to the gut. The Cybran was thrown down once again. Armen then climbed atop him, making sure he would listen to the words she had to say.

"Listen to me Cybran! This is meaningless! Take a good look around you! Can't you see where we are!? I am not your enemy!"

"Save your lies for someone who cares!" The Cybran was not going to be swayed from millennia of war and blood just because _she_ says so. She thought the attempt futile at first, but you never know 'til you try. She saw no other alternative but to subdue him. She grabbed him by his ACU suit, pulled him closer, then released a devastating blow to his jaw. His eye slipped back into his head as his lid shut protecting the eye. Signaling he was unconscious. Armen let out a sigh of relative disappointment. Maybe he would be better attuned to listen to reason later. Armen then dragged the Cybran over to what was left of a stone pillar, eroded by centuries of neglect. Positioned him to a sitting position then ripped a long cord of vine from the nearby wall, binding the Cybran's hands and feet with it. And gagging him so that when she was ready to talk she would not be so rudely interrupted. Armen stood up and turned to do the same to the unconscious UEF commander. But when she looked over at his last known location, he was no where to be seen! Then from directly behind her she noticed the ever so silent and gentle grind of pebbles under foot but only just. She knew it must be him. The UEF commander behind Armen moved ever so slowly, hoping to go unnoticed but that chance had come and gone, for Armen knew the position of the commander. She kneeled down and messed with the chrome plating of her ACU suit, Armen sensed that the encroaching commander was just at the right spot. At that moment Armen kicked her leg out and swung around a full 180 degrees, knocking the UEF commander off his feet and landing with a very distinct thump.

"Damn!" He shouted, "let me guess, foot steps? Right?" Armen stood over the defeated commander, glaring down at him.

"Let _me_ guess," she mocked, "you failed basic stealth tactics at the Academy, right?" She kneeled down closer to him.

"Well," he began, "you could say that." Without warning or mercy the commander forced his left leg into the back of Armen's. Once again Armen found herself flat on her back, on the floor. The commander leapt to his feet with incredible speed. Stepping just a few feet away from the unbalanced Armen. Armen began to slowly rise but she was quickly losing strength, it was even becoming difficult to perform the most simple of tasks. She managed to rise off the cold, hard stone surface, her hand outstretched toward the commander.

"Listen," she paused, trying to muster whatever strength she could to just finish a sentence, "do you know where you are?" The commander looked around only now noticing his surroundings. He smiled.

"Earth I'd say. And it's only a matter of time before Earth Com picks up my distress signal, and closes in."

"You mean this one?" Armen held up a broken piece of equipment. The commander closed his eyes and sighed. "Looks like I fell on it when you knocked me down, remember?"

"So why ask a question to which you already know the answer?" Armen looked puzzled at first.

"How do you know that I would?"

"Why else would you destroy my transmitter?" Armen began to tell her adversary about the events leading up to this point, but before she could disclose the information of the mysterious woman in the tent, the effects of the drug began to increase once again. Armen then collapsed right on the spot. The baffled UEF commander walked cautiously over to the unconscious warrior. He stared down at her in amazement, the tale she divulged was either very convincing or very well put together. In any case there's more to this monster than meets the eye…

Once Armen awoke, again, she found that she could not move and quickly saw that she was bound at the wrists and ankles with the same type of vine she used to bind the Cybran. In addition, she also was tied around one of the crumbling pillars, much like the one Armen used to bind the Cybran next to. She looked over to where she had last put the unconscious Cybran, he was bound as well. But he is also bound around the pillar, just as she is, but… Armen had no memory of tying the Cybran _to_ the pillar. A reddish-orange glow emanated from her right. There a fire burned, over it an unusual type of lizard roasted over the flames tied to a stone rod. The UEF commander was nowhere to be seen. She tried to struggle free of her bonds but the attempt proved to be ultimately futile. The loud grinding of stone fragments and dead plants alerted Armen where the commander was! Apparently he still was in the belief that Armen was still unconscious. Without thinking Armen slammed her eyes shut, to give the appearance of sleep.

"Come on! I learned that trick when I was four!" The commander walked past Armen without diverting his sight from where he intended to sit.

"I thought you said you failed Basic Stealth?" Said Armen, reopening her eyes thinking that he couldn't have seen her close them, or open them for that matter.

"Did I say that?" He stated as he started to stoke the fire. Causing the flames to rise and coil around the charred lizard. An uneasy pause filled the room. Both adversaries didn't know where to begin.

"So, Aeon, you got a name?" There was no response. "Or are you one of those nameless butchers that I keep hearing about?" He added. Armen closed her eyes she had gotten used to being stereotyped or at least she didn't show it on the outside. She took a leap of faith. There was nothing to be lost from speaking to him, she wasn't giving away her entire nation's plans for the war, she was just giving him a name. But… even the smallest of details could give away valuable information. She had to risk it, if it meant getting out of here.

"Crusader Armen." She stated. Giving him her rank seemed appropriate.

"Ooh, a Crusader, eh? And how many civilians did you slaughter to be granted such an honor?" His face went cold and dark like staring into a placid lake that has been dead for ten thousand years. Armen simply stared back into his eyes, as if to let him know that she took that comment extremely personal. The commander let out a smooth troubled sigh.

"You got a real name?" the commander restated the question. Armen still refused to answer. "Listen," He jabbed at the charred lizard to test it's readiness for consumption. "I've taken a look around after you collapsed…" Armen looked genially dumbstruck, she appeared to have no memory of the event. The commander paused and examined her reaction. "Don't worry I have that effect on women." Armen simply rolled her eyes at him. He began once more. "Anyway, after you collapsed ol' gizmo here tried to rearrange my facial features." he motioned to the bound Cybran. The commander pointed to a passage directly behind the pillar Armen was bound to. "That pass there runs right into a pile of debris about 50 meters in. And that pass there," he motioned to the pass behind himself, "Well lets just say that comes to a abrupt halt." The commander decided that trying to establish a further dialogue with the suddenly mute Aeon proved to be futile to his last breath. He returned to his lizard. Another awkward silence filled the room.

"Mira." Armen spoke suddenly, causing the Commander to snap his head toward her. "My name is Mira…" The commander grinned.

"Well," The commander started to rise, making his way to the bound Aeon, "If you finally have trusted me with your name, I think I can let you out of those vines…" The commander then started to undo the bindings restraining Armen. Around her wrists and ankles the vines fell uselessly to the ground. Armen rose from the ground, caressing her wrists, attempting to sooth them.

"Thank you." She looked him straight in the eye. Out of no where she unleashes a deadly right hook right into his left eye. The commander fell to one knee before Armen, cradling his injury.

"Ugh! I guess I had that coming…" He continued to clutch his delicate eye. Armen walked past the downed UEF, and started toward the already conscious Cybran. The Cybran had been observing the two rivals converse for some time, and for once in his life, he had no idea what to expect from this Aeon. She kneeled before him, a calm, caring, sweet look stretched across her face to make her appear as less threatening as possible. However, the Cybran would not be fooled by such facades, he knew full well what the Aeon are capable of and not for one second dared to underestimate them.

"I'm going to untie you." The Cybran looked puzzled, the hate and rage still present inside him, but no where near as before. "I want your word that you will not attack me…" The Cybran lowered his head in acknowledgement. "Or him." Armen quickly added. The Cybran paused for a moment then lowered his head slightly in agreement. He also decided to take a leap of faith but this didn't mean they were now the best of friends, the Cybran concluded, they would stick together in this obviously hostile environment as a necessity, as a means of survival. Armen, having sensed no deception from the Cybran, began to untie his gag. Then tended to the rest of his bindings. He stood his full height. Giving Armen pause if releasing him was the right idea. This Cybran was a beast, his enhanced strength and mental skills made this man a deadly opponent. He stared into her eyes…

"Do you know where you are Cybran?" Armen inquired. The Cybran took in his surroundings. Just noticing that the room he now occupied, along with the other two, was completely alien to him, yet somehow very familiar. He shook his head in response to Armen's question. Indeed he had absolutely no idea where they were. He then shifted his gaze back at Armen, but instead of anger at the lack of his answer in her eyes, he saw disappointment as well as confusion.

"My name is Bynin, Bynin Vexus." The Cybran proudly stated.

"Mira Armen." Armen placed a hand on her chest. She turned to face the UEF commander but he had already recovered from her assault, and was feasting, rather loudly, on the cooked lizard. Not paying any attention what so ever on the events around him.

"…What?" The commander asked as he noticed Armen and Bynin were staring at him, his mouth stuffed. Armen let out a troubled sigh.

"Never did catch your name." The commander nodded and swallowed what lizard he had in his gullet and released a ferocious belch, one that rang through the crumbling structure. Both Armen and Bynin closed their eyes in disgust. The commander spoke,

"Holden von Stuka." Bynin raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

"Yes, as in the JU 87." Holden rolled his eyes; he was obviously disgusted by the Cybran's presence not to mention Armen's. But Bynin just interpreted it as simple bigotry.

"Well now that we're all 'friends', I suggest we find a way out." Announced Holden as he tossed the Lizard bones into the fire.

"I believe I can help you with that…" The new allies snapped around toward the voice. A semi-tall Caucasian man stood, dressed in plain clothes, a trench coat and an odd looking hat that shielded most of his face from view, except for a small part of his chin which stuck out somewhat.

"And just who the hell are you!?" Barked Holden.

"Who I am isn't important, but the question is: Who… What are you?" The man asked, he started to circle the trio, eyeing them like a vulture, like they were the evening meal.

"Excuse me?" Armen stepped forward, releasing a slight cough. The man turned at the Cybran, Bynin, pointing a rather unfriendly finger at him.

"You have cybernetic implants placed throughout your body, enhancing almost every conceivable organic function: Respiration, strength, agility, deductive reasoning. And your capacity for learning, I hear, is extremely high." Bynin took a cautious step forward.

"And just where did you hear this? Who are you?" The inquiries were ignored.

"You!" He snapped his gaze at Holden. "Blood tests showed that you are carrying a number of vaccines for diseases that today's doctors and medical practitioners have yet to develop treatments for, much less a vaccine."

"BLOOD TESTS!" Holden's face lit up like a Christmas tree. A single vane in his forehead bulging, as if trying to break free from the confines of his flesh. But before Holden could lay a finger on the man, Bynin was holding the enraged human back. The man flinched at the sudden attempt on his well being. Holden then quickly calmed himself, shrugging Bynin off his shoulders, the man's attention then focused on Armen, the most docile of them all.

"And you," he pointed at Armen. "Genetic alterations were found in your DNA structure. None of the alterations human… So far we can tell that you're half-human and half," He paused, "Something else…" Armen stepped forward.

"How do you know these things?" Armen politely asked. The man simply smiled and ignored the question.

"Just out of curiosity how long do you think you've been here?" Armen pondered the question for a few moments before answering.

"Two—three hours?" Her new allies nodded in agreement, for the first time in a thousand years the three sides had agreed on something. But, it would not last.

"What if I were to tell you that you've been here for at least 12 days?" The man coldly stated. Holden exploded in rage once more, this time, Bynin was unable to restrain the battle-hardened Commander. The enraged Commander grasped the mysterious man by the throat, still continuing to charge forward, the man then came to an abrupt stop as the back of his head and spine came into contact with the solid, stone wall. The man then suddenly rose several feet off the ground, Holden's hand still firmly attached to his throat, causing him to choke and gag. The man struggled to break free of the behemoth's hold but to no effect.

"I'd say you're a damn liar." Holden announced, calm and cool.

"Please! Put me down!" The man continued to struggle. His feet dangling helplessly over the stone floor.

"The TRUTH!" barked Holden.

"I _am_ telling you the truth! I swear it! Put me down!" A soft hand was then placed upon Holden's shoulder, it was Armen's, he turned to stare into her deep blue eyes. Something about her just seemed to cause the rage and frustration within him to dissipate. He had been warned of the brainwashing abilities that the Aeon were so adept at. Until this day he had never really seen it first hand. But it was only a temporary solution, with a newfound clarity he then slowly lowered the quivering man to his feet, then released his throat. Holden gave the man a quick scowl and turned on his heels and walked away. A pure look of shock and terror stretched upon the man's face. He began to caress his swollen gullet, in a vane effort to sooth the throbbing sensation. Armen stepped closer, towering over him. Bynin, who had been mostly silent throughout the entire event, choose to speak.

"You said something about getting us out of this place?" The man looked reluctant at first, after all one of them did just try to kill him. But he had a mission to complete.

"Ah, yes!" He rose from the ground he was placed after being brutally subject to such force. He removed a mechanical instrument from his coat pocket. But before he could explain his intentions, Holden suddenly snatched the device from the man's hand, then taking three steps back. He examined the object in his hands. On the right side of the device there lay a switch of sorts.

"What does this do?" Holden asked to the object.

"Give it to me and I'll show you." Holden sensed a hint of sarcasm in the man's voice. Holden was no fool. He flipped the enigmatic switch. However Holden's approach to some situations is shall we say tactless. A faint beeping startled the three when they heard it coming from behind. The man then started to move behind one of the many ancient pillars. "I suggest you take cover." The man sneered. The three didn't waste any time in selecting an adequate spot for cover, away from the beeping. The beeping became more frequent, until it became simply a steady tone. An incredible thunder shook the entire structure. The once proud solid wall of stone and granite was now reduced to a smoldering pile of rubble. The force of the blast sent bits and pieces of stone and burning vines flying in all directions. The smallest of the debris fell atop the heads of the four occupants of the now unsealed room. After holding their breath that the ceiling wouldn't fall in on them, they started to rise from their barricades, slowly. The opening was so inviting that the sunlight seemed to shine all it could on it, giving the opening a hallowed like glow. Bynin stood, seeing that the danger had passed and the architects who built this place should be highly commended in whatever afterlife they are in. He gazed at the space and stated the obvious.

"Oh look… a doorway…" The others exited from their respective hiding places, dusting off dust and other debris ejected by the blast. Armen started toward the gateway to the outside, intent on leaving the dismal setting of the centuries old temple. She stopped and looked back.

"Coming?" her open hand pointed toward the door. Her question was more directed at Bynin than Holden, seeing that he was one step ahead of her, already a few meters from the gaping hole. Before Holden could move any closer Bynin reached out and grabbed Holden's shoulder, thus halting the mans advance. Holden swung his head around as though he knew Bynin's intentions. He delivered a cold silent stare as it to say: "Do it again and you die where you stand." But the Cybran was far from intimidated, instead just returning the stare as if to say: "I'd like to see you try."

"Wait," Bynin thought aloud. "So where do we go from here." Armen stopped just millimeters from fresh air. Holden lowered his head, raised his eyebrows, and smiled.

"You Cybrans, always thinkin' aren't yea?" He muttered, annoyed at being held up by this trivial matter. "We'll find that out as we go along! Lets go!" Both Armen and Bynin gave the Commander a puzzled look. What Holden said didn't make any sense at least in the mind of a military strategist. He just wanted out, and he wanted it now! But Bynin and Armen simply dismissed the statement out of hand and turned toward the man in plain clothes.

"Where's the nearest town?" Questioned Armen, sternly, still barely a hairs length away from freedom. The man looked to his left then back toward Armen.

"What if I told you that the nearest town is a good 120 mile walk?" He started to sweat.

"Ya know, I'm really getting sick of hearing you say what if." Holden walked out of Bynin's reach causing Bynin to lose his hold on him.

"What would you ask in return, if you were to help us?" asked Armen. Holden continued to advance on the man, stop just a few feet away. The man cocked his head.

"The people I work for have become very interested in the three of you and…" the man searched for the right word. "Moving you to this location has proved more costly than anticipated. And my employers would like some compensation for…"

"You want to study us." Armen plainly said.

"They only want to hold you for observation, I have been assured that…" Upon hearing this Bynin became enraged, his fists clenched so tight they could crush diamonds, a lifetime of freedom fighting surfaced. No one was going to take away his newly found freedom… no one.

"Hold us?!" the man backed up a few steps.

"Yes… please try to understand…"

"Hold us as slaves?! As lab rats?! As specimens waiting to be cut opened and studied! NO! I will not be party to this!" Apparently neither was Holden for at that instant he lurched out and grasped the man's throat once again, throwing him against the wall… again. Holden moved closer to the man's face intent on crushing his life.

"Stop!" Armen cried, sprinting towards the execution, for this time Holden truly meant to kill this man. Holden continued. Upon reaching the scene Armen grabbed Holden's shoulders pulling him back and ramming her knee quickly and decisively into his spine causing momentary paralysis. Holden released his grip and toppled to the floor, along with the man, who must have hit the floor a good two seconds after Holden. When Armen looked up from the neutralized figure to meet Bynin's face his expression was not that of anger nor of hate, to which the Aeon had become accustomed, but that of confusion. He did not understand why she had done what she did. This man, this creature, threatened his freedom, _their_ freedom. At this time Holden rose, equally dumbstruck. The man was once again massaging his throat, gasping and wheezing.

"I take that as a no?" The man coughed. Armen sighed, he was definitely not going to help them after this incident. Their chances of survival were now vary slim.

"I guess we'll just have to pick a direction, and start walking." Holden immediately began the trek to the opening. They started to make their way out.

"Wait!" The man called from afar. The allies were already at the opening. Only Armen turned her head, where as Bynin and Holden were waiting just outside the ruined temple. The man struggled to get up. Armen walked over to the man, suspicion in her eyes. The man reached into his coat pocket. Armen took a step back, as a precaution for she was unsure of what the man's true intentions were, although she had a taste of them earlier.

"Here take this." He handed Armen an old photograph, but to her this method of record keeping seemed entirely alien not to mention archaic. The photograph depicted a woman. Nothing seemed overly special about her.

"She might be able to help you." The man began to look around the room, as if searching for something, or someone. Armen was skeptical.

"How?" She asked. But the man didn't respond. Either he didn't hear her or wasn't paying much attention. He appeared to be suddenly agitated, almost anxious.

"Over the years she has unearthed a number of artifacts of unexplained great power. Although most of these findings have always been discredited in one way or another. Still, there are too many unanswered questions. She might know something of some significance in order to get you back to where ever you came from."

"An archeologist?" The man responded in the affirmative. Armen looked back at the photograph. "Where is she now?" The man looked back at Armen.

"Last I heard she was in Egypt. But she could be anywhere…" The man once again began to look around the room.

"What is it?" Armen also began to look around the room searching for whatever it was that he was. He was just about to answer when a loud deep thundering noise echoed through the ruined chambers. The man almost immediately fell to the floor with more or less of his skull still intact. Armen's training once again took hold she dove for cover behind a pillar scrunching up, so who ever fired that shot would not be able to do the same to the Aeon. Bynin and Holden had heard the shot and came sprinting toward Armen, not out of concern for her wellbeing, but their chances of survival are greater with her than without her. Armen was about to tell them to come no closer but they were well in sight of the shooter when they were at the opening. So why had the assassin not fired? Holden stopped to examine the corpse that was in front of him, while Bynin continued to advance toward Armen.

"What happened!" Bynin shot a glance at the corpse. Armen emerged from behind the pillar. She looked down at the man's corpse. If she was surprised she didn't show it. Holden kneeled down, closer to the body.

"No big loss." Holden scoffed. Armen turned on her heels toward the opening.

"We must leave." Holden jerked his head around, then jumped to his feet at the notion of leaving this dismal place. Bynin wasn't so sure, there are still _too_ many unanswered questions.

"Hey… Hey!" Bynin grabbed the Aeon by the arm forcing her to stop and turn around, facing him. "What's the rush?" Armen lifted her free hand and revealed the photograph that the man had given her. Bynin released her arm and took the photograph for a closer inspection. He took in the image. He felt Holden's breath brushing against his ear. "Do you mind?" The hint fell on deaf ears. Holden didn't even blink but just stared intently on the photograph in Bynin's hand. Bynin sighed, rolled his eyes and gave Holden the picture. Holden studied the picture of the woman.

"Pretty lady… Who is she?" Holden raised his head.

"She may be able to help us." Armen tried to explain. Holden stopped her before she could explain further.

"Oh yeah? How did you come by this information? Or is it just divine intuition?" Although he already knew the answer he asked anyway. One thing he always loved to do; was to make his enemies sweat.

"…He told me." She pointed to the corpse behind her. Holden simply smiled and handed the picture back to her. He need not say any more for he got what pleasure out of it as he could. Armen was _not _amused. The scowl on her face making that much apparent.

"I truly believe that she could be able to help us." Armen attempted to explain once more. But Holden cut her off.

"Oh really?" Barked Holden, "Does she help program the ripple effect for Quantum Gates? Did she help design them? Does she do anything that even remotely relates to Quantum technology!? Anything that could be of any tangible benefit!?" He was becoming increasingly hostile, Armen might have to subdue him it that were the case.

"Why ask questions to which you already know the answer?" Armen threw a taste of Holden's own medicine back at him. Holden fell silent only trying to come up with something to counter her. Bynin interjected,

"I'm all for this open display of love and affection, but the real question is not whether or not she's qualified to help us but: Is she willing to? And who is she?" Armen took another long look at the photograph. "Do you know?" Bynin tried to be as clear as possible. Armen made a mental copy of the picture. The photograph depicted a three-quarter rear shot of the woman, obviously athletic, judging by the way the physic looked, much like Armen's come to think of it. From what Armen could see in the face she was gentle, yet strong in some way. Her long, braided auburn hair fell all the way to the small of her back. She wore a teal-like jump suit with brown shorts, attached were a belt and holsters that contained a pair of small firearms, Armen judged. They appeared to fire projectiles like the sniper's weapon, although, Armen thought that these particular weapons had a much shorter range than that of the other's; but none the less deadly. She looked to be in her early to mid twenties. She couldn't assume the information she gathered to be of any real use, by the photograph's degraded status.

"I have no idea."


	3. Chapter 2: Mysteries

_Disclaimer: Tomb Raider is the property of Core Desgin and/or Crystal Dynamics. Supreme Commander is the property of Gas Powered Gas. Any similarities to actual people or events are purely coincidental._**

* * *

**

**_Crossroads: Arrival_**

**_

* * *

_**

**Chapter 2 **

**_Mysteries_**

Earth

Year – February 3, 2007 AD

5:00p.m. Croft Manor, England

Lara sat at her desk, which was covered with a copious amount of papers, files, and folders. All save for a relatively clear area where her computer perched, like an island of tranquility in a sea of chaos. After the incident with Excalibur and Amanda, Lara had asked Winston to gather everything he could that pertained to Avalon, Excalibur, and the monomyth. One of the thick documents caught the famed archeologist's eye. She cleared the papers off of the intriguing file. Something about it just felt… familiar, somehow. Lara checked the label of the folder: _Field Notes: India_. Lara jerked her head back. She hadn't thought that the monomyth had traveled _that_ far, her curiosity grew and she opened the file. Inside lay an old document, the texture felt fabric like, almost silk in nature. She began to read.

_September 26, 1948_

_Journal Entry 1124_

"_Only recently my team and I have uncovered what appears to be yet another temple. We have made significant progress in only a few months of digging. This will make 8 structures found. It's as if there's an entire city right beneath my feet. But something about this place puts me on edge, and there are too many unanswered questions. Even though there are always unanswered questions. There's something not right about this place…"_

Lara jumped at the sound of knuckles busting against the oak door to her study. She had lost herself in the bewildering file. She snapped back to reality.

"Yes?" She called out plainly; her eyes and mind already were drifting into the mysterious entries once more. Winston entered with a glinting, silver tray. Atop, steaming tea moved about in the delicate China cup. "Oh thank you Winston." Lara took the cup from the tray to her lips, taking in the relaxing sensation it gave her. She leaned back into her seat.

"Might I ask what keeps you in here, Miss Croft?" Winston inquired.

"Actually I would prefer to be left alone right now." She leaned back in and continued to read the document. Winston did not inquire further, instead just gave a slight bow and removed himself from the room. It wasn't like her to just dismiss him out of hand like that. Winston silently closed the doors, so as not to disturb Miss Croft. He sighed and returned to his duties.

_September 31, 1948_

_Journal Entry 1903_

"_I have just received a letter from my wife in East Berlin. Apparently the Americans have broken the Soviet established embargo. I never thought it possible; she says she's doing much better with the fresh supplies. At last I can put my mind at ease and focus on the dig instead of worrying about her well being. I do not however regret taking my daughter, Abbey, along. She has for years expressed an interest in history and now she's leading her own team in and out of these ancient temples. If I have anything to say right now its thank you! You crazy Americans! But that bad feeling I had earlier this month… it's back. A friend once offered to send me 'protection' if ever I felt the need for it."_

Again Lara was pulled away from the entries and back to the real world by another knock on the oak door

"Come in." A hint of aggravation sounded in Lara's voice. Zip came in the vast, silent study. He backed into the room gazing at the two stories of various books and journals archived in the expansive shelves. Zip had never taken the time to actually tour the mansion. Frankly, he felt more comfortable around his gadgets and computers. He took solace in the fact that there was at least one technological appliance in the room. "Need something Zip?" Lara only looked up to identify who had entered the room, then bowed her head to continue reading the document. Zip folded his toned arms.

"Not especially. I just thought I should tell you that I've had that data you asked for, and have had it ready for over six hours now." He started to poke around the mountains of files upon her desk.

"Oh! Right! I'm so sorry I must have… gotten distracted." Lara closed the folder gazing at it. Zip picked up the dictionary-thick document.

"Doing a little light reading?" He set the file back on Lara's desk. She was still sitting in her chair, going over the journal entries in her head. Lara ignored the sarcastic comment.

"Would you mind going over that data for me? I really need to examine this." Lara grabbed the document and jumped from her seat, heading for the door.

"Sure thing. Oh and don't tell me how it ends. I wanna find out for myself." Lara walked out of the door without so much as a 'thank you'. "Yeah, that was stupid." Zip stated to an empty room.

Zip trotted down the extravagant staircase and made his way to his humble den of computers and all things 'geeky'. Alister was already siting on the sofa with a book on the legend of King Arthur entitled: _The Truth Behind King Arthur_. Every few pages Alister would smile and shake is head or just chuckle somewhat at the apparent lack of information the author had acquired. Alister began to hope that the author had published a revised edition. Zip walked into the computer lab. Sat down in his chair and swiveled around to face Alister, who was still mentally poking holes in his 'fact finding' search, and Winston, who had taken his usual stance to the right of the fire place, closest to the lab. "Hey, Alister." Alister responded by putting a marker in his book and setting it on the table, as if he knew that a long and troubling conversation was ahead.

"Have you noticed Lara's behavior over the past few months?" Zip began to swivel from side to side in his computer chair or throne as he called it from time to time.

"It's been my observation that…" Alister tried to come up with an appropriate analogy. "…Yes. Well for normal people anyway. Not to imply that Lara isn't normal, as in she's not sane but she is…" Alister struggled with his choice of words again. Alister had turned a simple question into a life and death situation, as if what he said in the next few minutes will determine the fate of all mankind. Alister even had Winston's attention. "…She's different." Alister squinted his eyes and frowned somewhat.

"True," Zip nodded. "But what I'm trying to say is that she's not herself. See, she's a people person, now she's taken to locking herself in her room."

"She has locked herself in a tomb once or twice, probably more than twice." Alister propped himself up against the back of the sofa.

"That's different. No, she seems a tad obsessive over those field notes. She hasn't even given us a hint as to what they're about or who wrote them. The only thing we do know is that Lara is not herself." Zip turned to look at Winston, who was still standing next to the fireplace. "Winston, have you ever seen Lara act this way?" Winston raised an eyebrow.

"I have served Miss Croft for many years and I believe that it is safe to say that she will come out of it in a few more days." Winston stated monotone.

"Wait, are you saying she's done this before?" Alister inquired further.

"Yes, on very few occasions however." Winston went on. "She finds a subject usually about some myth or another, gathers as much information as she desires then sets off to her desired location. But she's never taken to secluding her self in her room however." Zip and Alister looked at each other then at Winston, who only straightened his posture.

_October 3, 1948_

_Journal Entry 2006_

"_Everyone's on edge, it was just the workers at first, but now everyone can feel it. It's like a presence… I can't really describe it. It all started just after we reopened that temple. On the cover stone, we found a pictograph of one of the most bizarre looking deities I have ever seen. But the strange symbol of this temple gives me reason for pause. It depicted a god or demigod with large spikes protruding from its shoulders and head. Beams of light appeared to emanate from one of the arms, to either side of the god-like figure… the people bowed, for that matter… everything bowed the trees, the animals, the mountains. The most unusual thing is that the structure is at least 200 meters away from the central part of the village, either this was a temple of some significance or there's a lot more here than we realize. But if that were so, why wasn't this particular temple closer to the center of the village?_

_The mercenaries, my friend had sent me arrived earlier this morning. I'm afraid that Mr. Cooper doesn't share my enthusiasm when it comes to long dead civilizations. However, Mr. Cooper's men have proven to be more of an indulgence than an actual protection. They also lack enthusiasm when is comes to dead civilization."_

Lara sat on the sofa in her room, the door locked. She read the strange document as fast as she could while still retaining the knowledge she gained.

_October 10, 1948_

_Journal Entry 2106_

"_We just opened the temple ten minutes ago and my daughter is already dying to explore it. I have given her permission to take at least 4 workers and one of the mercenaries along. She took the workers, however reluctantly, I suspect, but she turned the mercenary down flat. I insisted and so did Mr. Cooper but Abbey assures me that she will be careful and not touch anything that even looks suspicious. I hope I've made the right decision."_

Lara closed the document on this final entry. She unlocked her door and went in search of the boys.

Zip and Alister were still dumbstruck and Winston was still straightening his posture, near to the point of spraining something. Lara leaned over the railing only enough to convey her message.

"Winston can you ready a flight for Zip, Alister, and me." Zip and Alister looked up in shock, save for Winston who was already dialing a nearby phone.

"Where we goin'?" Zip inquired. Lara paused for a few seconds.

"India."


	4. Chapter 3: Good Fortune

_Disclaimer: Supreme Commander is the property of Games Powered Gas. Tomb Raider is the property of Core Desgin and/or Crystal Dynamics. Any similarities to actual people or events are purely coincidental._**

* * *

**

_Crossroads: Arrival_

_

* * *

_

**Chapter 3**

_**Good Fortune**_

Earth

Year – Unknown

Time Unknown

Three days of endless walking. Three days of constant hunger, water was scarce, stopping at every little stream, little pond, and every puddle that they found along their way, but most of the fresh water sources they come across had been polluted by some bizarre chemical, and was unfit to consume. If there was a town, the three temporary allies, had long since given up hope of ever finding it. Holden collapsed. He tried to form a sentence from his rasped breathing.

"I can't believe it…" he paused to take a few more breaths. "I'm gonna die before I'm even born." Armen seated herself next to Holden.

"Come on get up!" coaxed Armen.

"Hey! It's not my fault we're lost in the burning jungle looking for a town that doesn't exist!" Holden attempted to yell but failed miserably. He rolled over on his back "So don't you dare to presume to be giving me words of encouragement." Holden started to close his eyes. "Freak." He whispered to himself.

"It's as much for you as it is for me." Armen sounded much closer. Holden forced his eyes open. He saw that Armen had sat down not two feet from him. Bynin approached the duo, he had lagged behind some time ago and the others had thought he had perished under the strain of the relentless sun.

"Nice of you to join us." Holden closed his eyes again. Bynin was too tired and parched to even think of responding, he positioned himself under a shady tree. Armen stood. Her slender legs shaking.

"It's only a few more miles away."

"And how would you know that?" Holden's breathing began to pace. He glared up at Armen. Bynin slowly shook his head at the sight of Armen's newfound optimism. And Holden's wondering eyes.

"I can feel it." Armen responded, looking to her left.

"You'll excuse me if I'm not total swayed by…" Before Bynin could finish he caught sight of what Armen had been looking at. A large column of black smoke rose on the horizon. Holden sat up suddenly to see what had caught every one's attention.

"Ain't that somethin'?" Without warning Armen took off for the column.

"And just where do you think you're going?" Holden tried to return to his feet. He lost his balance and started to fall, but before he touched the ground something stopped him. Bynin pulled back on his arm and reluctantly slung the UEF Commander's arm over his shoulder. Holden glared at him, but reluctantly accepted the help anyway.

"Just what are you expecting to find here anyway?" Holden called at Armen. She continued to walk. "Hmm." Armen arrived at the source of the smoke. She lay down on the emerald floor to avoid being seen. Thick underbrush and foliage covered her from all angles. She peered through the green just as Bynin dropped Holden a few feet away, with a loud grunt. Armen didn't blink, she was too focused on the sight before her. Bynin then lowered himself next to Armen, also taking a look through the green. Holden crawled up the sloped ridge and stopped on Bynin's right. He moved a branch that obstructed his view.

"Oh my…" Holden feasted his eyes on the scene. Not twenty yards away lay a large ocean-blue colossus. His ACU. The mech., if standing, would reach several heights taller than these trees. It's arms, which were more gun-like than actual hands, were blacked and charred, as if it had seen the entire Infinite War. From what could be seen men with some type of cutting tool were already trying to tear the war-machine to pieces, however, the reinforced plating was proving more than a match for them. But that did little to discourage them. The men scurried around like scavengers just after a large battle. Trying to grab what they can before somebody else beats them to it. The colossus appeared to be in relatively working condition, portions of the war-machine were still simmering from the travel through the Quantum tunnel. It had been through a rough ride. A single man was shouting indiscernible orders to the scavengers. One scavenger ran toward the man carrying a piece of warped metal. The man took the piece, inspected it, then handed it to one of the large men standing by his side. The man said something, the scavenger began to grin and nod his head frantically. The man then said something else a little louder, but still indiscernible. The scavenger dropped to his knees, his once proud grin replaced by a look of terror and fear. The scavengers around the encampment began to halt in their duties and watch the spectacle unfold before them. One of the large, semi-muscular men moved from his position at the man's side and took the pleading worker by his forearm and dragged him past the underbrush, out of sight. The man in charge then took the charred scrap of metal, from the other bodyguard's possession, and inspected it further. The other workers and scavengers returned to their priorities. Holden looked at both of his adversaries.

"Looks like…" Before Holden could finish a loud thunderous clap rang out in the distance. Holden returned his gaze to the encampment, trying to discern where the shot had come from. Then the bodyguard emerged from the underbrush reloading a weapon that appeared to be extremely powerful at close range. The bodyguard loaded a casing. Then returned to the man's side remaining ever vigilant. The worker that had entered the underbrush with him was nowhere to be seen.

"Yes?" Bynin turned to Holden.

"Nothing." Holden then descended to the base of the ridge. Bynin grew a large grin and then looked at Armen, who then just shook her head in annoyance and descended also to the base of the ridge on which they were perched. Bynin was about to do the same, the smile still present upon his lips, he spotted out of the corner of his eye a figure. High in the trees, it was hard to tell. The figure seemed to blend with its surroundings. But Bynin was sure that it was some type of watchmen or guard for the group below. His grin turned upside down. He backed away slowly looking from treetop to treetop, spying out three more of the darkened figures before sliding down the ridge. He was about to tell his 'allies' of his findings but a thousand years of mistrust and violence prevented him from doing so. Holden's strength returned, he stood proud just an inch or two taller than Armen. He attempted to look down on her. But before he could walk over to her he heard a very familiar and welcome sound: A splash of water. Holden quickly dashed through the underbrush to reach the source of the sound. Armen and Bynin gaining on him with incredible speed, each dying to quench a thirst that would send Poseidon dashing for the nearest fresh-water spring. Upon reaching the pond Armen and Bynin had already pulled ahead of Holden by several seconds and submerged their heads in the cool spring. Armen lifted her head from the refreshing spring to get her bearings; she was so thirsty she forgot to take a look around the area before stepping out into the open. She might as well be wearing bright pink for all the good this shiny chrome plating did her. But she started to drink all the same. Without warning Holden burst from the green, and dove straight into the spring water, Armen did not dare to take another drink now. Bynin removed his head from the nourishing liquid and recoiled at the sight of the large rugged beast now standing in the pond, waist deep. Then submerged his head, taking in huge quantities of water.

Something didn't feel right. Something was missing. The shouting from the men across the ridge fell silent. They're cutting tools also ceased. Holden stopped in his slurping and gulping of the water. Bynin also took notice to the sudden silence. Something is coming… The trio continued to listen. A single loud voice rang out. Followed by repeated gunfire. Split second flashes of light covered the valley where they had spotted the ACU. Men shouted and yelled from the treetops and the ground floor, exchanging bullets. A large explosion erupted from the ground and several men went flying through the air, screaming as they flew. The scavengers were under attack. And they were losing. Armen, Bynin and Holden all moved closer to the firefight. Men wearing spots of green, brown, and black all over their clothes sat in the trees, expertly picking off the baffled workers with extreme prejudice. A few of the workers entrenched themselves in an array of boxes and packaging equipment that had not been there before. Occasionally popping up to squeeze off a few rounds at the trees. But mostly the workers never went back down again. A few workers were trying to flee the battle by heading into the underbrush and scattering. The leader was nowhere to be seen. As soon as the last entrenched worker went down, the aggressors descended from the trees to the ground. They gathered around the giant mech. and exchanged a few words, one of the men looked toward the underbrush were some workers had fled and pointed to the alien machine, then to his eyes with his index and second finger. Two of the men started to walk closer to the machine while the others took off running, guns up, toward the escapees. Armen looked at Bynin and Holden. Holden was grinning.

"Time to go home." He said, the smirk still present on his face. Bynin quickly caught on to Holden's plan as he slid down the ridge. Armen took another look at the two heavily armed guards, then removed the photograph from under her chrome plating, on her left thigh. Something told her that these soldiers would be just as tough to neutralize as they are in her own time. Something still didn't feel right to her. Before she made her way down the slope, she caught sight of a strange symbol: a rectangle of which contained a number of strips all red and white. In the upper left hand corner there was a smaller blue rectangle with a number of white stars in it, a large number to be honest. Armen returned the photograph to its hiding place, and made her way down the slope. Still… something about all this seemed a little too easy. The trio kneeled behind a bush, close to the soldiers. Holden made a slight whistling noise that caught the guards attention. "Now stand back and let me work my magic…" Holden crouch-ran to the opposite side of the dormant colossus. One of the guards looked at the other soldier and motioned for him to move around the machine while he moved around to the other side. When the other guard disappeared behind the mech., Holden took a rock he had collected and bashed the soldier, square in the head, knocking him out cold. Holden dropped the rock, moved in-between the legs of the war-machine, and waited. The other soldier came around the corner, a puzzled look plastered to his face. Upon seeing his unconscious comrade he raised his weapon. Then began to scan the area. Almost without look away from the tree line, he kneeled down to check the wounded soldier's pulse. Suddenly Holden burst out from atop one of the war-machine's legs. The soldier quickly and skillfully reacted. As Holden flew through the air, the soldier raised the butt of his weapon, Holden fell to the ground. As the soldier kneeled closer to Holden an ear-shattering crack sounded. Bits of dirt and rock pieces flew in all directions from the soldier's head. He tumbled over, unconscious. Armen emerged from the shrubs grasping a second rock to hurl at the soldier, just in case. She looked down at Holden, who was know rising rubbing his head to relieve some of the pain, Armen rolled her eyes and walked past. Bynin came closer.

"Some magic." He grinned as he continued to walk, not offering any help to his ally. Holden looked at the hand he had placed on his throbbing head. Only a few drops of blood could be detected. Holden struggled to get up.

"Freaks." He muttered to himself. He looked at his prize. Beautiful. Armen and Bynin began to examine the war-machine, trying to find a way in to activate the recall. "And just what do you think you're doing?" Holden called. Armen and Bynin shot him confused looks.

"Trying to find a way in, of course." Armen coolly stated.

"Oh no, no, no. You see… I can't allow that." Holden explained.

"We don't have time for this." She started to climb atop the machine, feeling around for the access hatch.

"He's right," said Bynin glaring at Armen. "What assurance do we have that you won't try and kill us once you're inside?"

"What!? Kill you? Are you insane? We need each other." Armen returned to ground level, "I'm sorry you don't recognize that." Holden shook his head.

"Oh I recognize is alright. I'm just a little uncomfortable about having someone like you behind controls of this ACU." Holden started to climb atop the blue Goliath, suspisiously eyeing Armen.

"And just where do you think you're going?" Bynin questioned. Before Holden had time to think, several shots rang out. Indicating that either the soldiers had found the workers or the workers had received reinforcements, Bynin and Armen eyed the ridge. With Armen and Bynin's backs to the machine, Holden opened the emergence hatch. Climbing in the weapon, he felt a wave of pleasure and security wash over him.

The blue behemoth's eyes flared a deep passionate blue, if only the ACU's purpose was as beautiful. The controls in the cockpit began to revive the war-machine. Lights started to flicker on, some flickering for a moment before shorting out. Holden started to fiddle with the controls. The gears struggled to raise the machine. Sparks flew out from various shorted out consoles.

"These things were never designed to lay down." Holden muttered to himself, still flipping switches. After a few minutes of grinding gears, the machine almost majestically began to rise from the battered ground. The feet of the monstrosity slammed into the soil, causing Armen and Bynin to steady themselves. The blue colossus dwarfed the two figures far below. While rising, the machine knocked off several large branches. Armen and Bynin attempted to dodge the falling debris. At last the blue giant raised its gun-like arms. Holden collected himself from the risky maneuver. "Yeah, not designed for this." He began to check all systems: weapons, gyro control, hydraulics, sensors… communications. They were still operational. Holden activated the comm., and began to broadcast on all UEF frequencies. "This is Colonel Stuka, to Earth Com. Do you read?" Nothing but static. "Earth Com, do you copy?" Before he could continue, a screen popped up on his HUD. "This can't be."


End file.
